Machine for molding plastic material



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,550,821

w. P. KING MACHINE FOR MOLDING PLASTC MATERIAL Filed oct. 4, 1924 5 sheets-Sheet 1 www HV1/@WOR l Afro/w51 Aug. 25, 1925.

W. F. KING MACHINE FOR MOLDING PLASTIC MATERIAL Filed oct. 4, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 vlo nl non o m AN ATTORNEY Aug. 25, 1925.

W. P. KING MACHINE FOR MOLDING PLASTIC MATERIAL S'Sheets-Sheet :3

Filed Oct. 4, 1924.

AToRNEv.

Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

. WiLLIAl/f r; or smecusa' NEWE aciiur;

=. MACHINE .FoR. 4Moments frres'rrc MATEMAL- rality oicakes; during eachl revolution of the ftablei-,Alfurther object is -toprovide novel, simpler and eiectivegmeans for successive- Lyj-lubrioatjinjggas Wellfas--for heating the molds and certain. adjacent parts with which ,thestickylmaterial comes incontaet, lfor pre ,fventingadhesionof the candy to-said parts, andthereby hindering I the -proper functioning ofthepressing and ejecting mechanisms. A further object. is-,to provide meansfor ejedting: the fcompressejd cakes from` a num- ,bergoi moldsf4 at A'a single operation without stopping the-,machine-;f 'the ejectors trayelling lWith theftable and being'arranged to' form-.the vbottoms ,of the molds duringf-the .pressing intervals-- -A `further 'object-,fais .'to .providef a- 'series of' novel cams'which; 'at ,regular :intervals inthe circuit (of the-.:table,"operate a -lever forsweepingthegejectiedgoakes from the-table onto` a continuously. travelling belt conveyor, which delivers thet'finis'hedproduct vof the molds at-,adistance fromthe machine. And a furtheriobjectisto provide a press of the class lwhich is 'adapted for continuous automatic pressingand molding-'of any plastic or sticl'ryvsubstances. 1 -1 Y j .;at ta.in lthese objeetslby the -means set forth iii thedetailed description which fol- .front slde elevation and tpartlal-centralf ,verftical longitudinal .seetiqn theisetngheing laken fon: line ff-Qf- '1g-1e alumina-bh press-plunger: i115 relation-tof me :ofthe:1.1.1c11rls` FiaA-s irespeetivly.: a gimme-*andra side .elevation and partial central!velrtilefil5 ,section f .0f-,the plungen ff igfis respectiwlyp side and.. an 4"and View 0f 'the Semi-cirilllel-gllde and strpper.;.'-Fig Gfisza top'planfyewfef ;the molding; table. Fig.,2,7 l,isi ,a .horizontal section; taken .online .-ZfZfot-Fg-f: Show.- jngzeertainofqthe molds passinggthejpress- ,ingpositiou ;v also showing the dispositian .and action ofthe leverthat sweepsfthefmjoldediarticles from the table alld--themeansgior .--sprayingthe molds and table withfhot? moista vapors; llfig. -,8-.is .atop-.plan view-:of the vguardpla-tel; which portsthe gpress-gcylin der and partially covers itheffmoldiitgf table.

fand" elevation -respeetive1y,.-of+oneqlof 'the -eJecting elements.'

gated Lframe, `whiizh f YsuppoEtsys ubstantiallly thewhole -of;the-pressing fmecha'nism; and

InA the drawings', v2 representsanf .el0i1' 'from v.one emio'f -wlliclr'rise aA number-of f similar -p'osts 3,'-upon twhose'threaded to'p ends .is mounted horizontally a'v triangular guard-plate'l', wlhichisrigidly held-:in place by nuts'll; Uponthefplatef'lt is mounted' the upright .press cylinder 5,-'whose normally -open 'bottom ,end-.registers Withzfa corresponding opening 4@ of the platef 6 repre- -sentsa horizontalcylinder., which extends rearwardly at right angles 'to andfoommuiv g're resents j`the4 circular-g moldingI table, whichfls rotatably disposed; beneath= .and :in closefrictional-contact with-.the guardfl, as showninFigs. 1,2, A3, Grandi'. The table 7-isrigid 'on and is driven vby -an.uprightA shaft 7'., and is provided with a .-pluralit vvofv tapering oval molds or-openings-7,fvv ich are-preferably arranged-in pairs, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7;the said molds being dis- `posed lin 3 `Circular path, and the several pairs being Spced: eqiilivst'aiitly"1 in the circlef' The disposition of lthe nolds 7 is such that the several pairs pass beneath the press cylinder 5, wheretheyare successively filled with the relatively thick pasty stock, by the downward strokesffoitav piston-plimg--` er 9, which reeiprocates in the cylinder 5; the stock to be moldedleing moved horizontally from the hopper Gf into the cylinder-:why ine-airs of 'fwbjrme. The' table 'I rotates constantly,- 'and the molding' 'strokes 'fithe-'pliihger-i) ae'itirn'ed to completely 'fill' 'the riofds'o'f each pair, while the Elatter being moveda'ross' the' lower-'open end 'jthpiss' zylinder'" 5. f- The' molds 7?alre Apreferably;demopenings, through che table b'ssres'floi of fa isi-Ze to operatively lr'fit and -close the "bottoms" 'of 'the 'molds The heigltf'of these bosses preferably 'correfspidst the depth 'of lthe mold cavities,

" "rdfaftr the cavities are filledand the ro# 'ttio'ff'thetble 7 'carries the'inolds a suit-- "able,i dista'iib' from th'e filling position, the l"eject-ors*are raised -by 'rnean's of a circular -e'a'in'12"( `s ee Fig-13) suiciently for theiboss'es eiect the 'proper' filling ofthe Imolds dur- *ing the short"interval v'each pair is passing 'beneath the rapidly descending plunger 9, =t he lower portion of the lplunger is reduced toone-fhalf the area of the -bore of the press cylinder, as shown at 9 in Figsf and 7,

and 'the Worm 8is correspondingly llengtheiled and extended intothe vacant half of the cylinder, for shortening the distance through Whichthe niateria-l must travel durihg-the :shdrt and 'quick Si'ipstrolresfof. the

plunger, in order 'td suppy material'v for fil-1- mg the nekt pair of mo ds. 13 represents a: semi-'circular lguide-block, 'which is' rig lidly `disposed in the vacant port-ion oflcyliguideblock tends 'to increase the length of cylinder`lv 16,v'a'hd prevents 'y the worm from fori-ing lfthe 'stock upwardly Ainstea'iil of -stri'ghthear'd' towardsithe filling position. B y-ithi'sl`jonstiuetion 5and arrangement, the

Cil

stck has only-I a -few inches to 'travel while .the iplunger is moving upwardly in "order to refill fth'ejforward 'half of the press cylinder pafs's." TheFlat-vertical 'face' of "the block 13 pieeibiy lightly'conta'dts with the "correspohding faceof plunger '-9, and' accordingly serv's'to strip the sticky"iretii-lt from the plunger during its up'strokes.

The tendency of the sticky sugary stock to cl-ing-itoqthe -moldsfyand other metal parts of the machine, is overcome in the present 'construction'by'fspraying the molds 7, and

?wardly facing port' 4:, which `discharges'fthe vsteam 'continuouslyfagainst the vacef off the table 7, in the; 'patlrf fthe The 'pipe 14, is rappe-df by afrfehff 'pipe fifi',

'ivhich-jbypasses' portionfoif"theffiteiih through' a valve 14a to the heads 15 ofi sightgage, 'which includes a glass tube' '15fliid'7' ,base 15?. The steam fro'mrpipe 14,5" throgh a separate passageiri the"pa`t"715,

ing :from the eondensi'ngfof 'thesteani gravitates through a tube 14" into the bo'ttoino an 'oil-chamber'l, where the water co'll'ects,

'andthe steamtogether with the 'W'aterrsult- Aand upon which the oil, as 0:,'floatsl The Oil is-s'u'ppliedto the chamber 16 through a suit'- i a'blel opening in its top.` The Water'x'ringles moreor less with fthe oil a', and due -to the pre'ssi'rederived from the pipe 14, the oily mixture is forced out 'of the top end -of the 'another glass tube 17, thence through 'a'ftube 17 that passes' -through the lowe'r end of cylinder 16,-into the part 15. 'The lubric.; ttlien flows upwardly through thel 'tube 'Container 16,- th'ence downwardly through 1:5', thence through the hef-id 15 -an'd into' pipe 14, by which it is carried towards', the guai-dl 4 and table 7,' as explained. The lower end of pipe '14 is tapped by a horizontal pipe 14, Which-extends across thetop loi: the disc 7, said pipe having a numberof small :openings '14d 'in its mdei Side,``-by which the hot oily vapor is sprayed, as shown in F ig. 3. The pipe 1li is provided with a 'valve-14e, which the flow of steam may 'be regulated,'or stopped at will.

The heads fof the ejectcrs are preferably 4intjlosed in similar boxes 10, which 'arel tothe bottom side of the table 7, "the rods it() slidably l'passing thronh the 'bottoms' f the boxes, through dripdpans 10"., and 'guides 10". The bottom ends'of the "rods 110 are fitted vwith*rollers 10* which rideupon the cam v4212, 1 and 'by similar smaller lrollers '10?, which traverse "ya semi-circular cam A12',

which arranged for limiting fth'e re'cipro-- 'ca-tingr movements of the ejectors, as for eX- 'i ample;`to thedep'th'of the molds 7a. When 'the -rollers 10l 'are 'riding'on'the highest portions of cam 12, the rollers 10Yare freefrom the cam -12,"as shown `in Figs. 2 'and 3. All df the ejectors 'act independently and are arranged to travel with the table'7, and successively close Athe bottoms and `effect the emptying of the molds, as explained.

The ejected cakes are swept from the top face of the table 7, by a lever or arm 18, which extends horizontally across the exposed portion of`the table, and is provided near its free end with a knife-like part 18', which rides frictionally on the table, and remains beneath the cakes until they are carried beyond the periphery of the table, where .they gravitate to a constantly moving Y beltA conveyor 19, which carries the cakes to a convenient packaging point. The remote end ofthe lever 18 is rigid to the upper end of a shaft 18a, which is journaled in a box 18", said shaft supporting a gear 18, which is driven by `another gear 20, the latter gear being provided with an arm 20' that projects into the path of cams 20, whichV are carried by the boxes 10".- the said cams being arranged to successively engage the'arm 20 -at the instant thecakes .arevfully ejected-from the "mold's attfheV opposite side'of the table. The

cams 20 swingthe arm 20', and accordingly vrockfthe,gears 18-20' in the direction for swinging'the lever 18 from the full line to the dotted line position, shown in Fig. 7. As Vsoon as the cams 20l become free from the arm 20', aspring 2 1, attached to an arm 1 8i of gear`18 reverses the movements of said parts, and restores the sweep 18 to the full line position shown in Figs. 2 and 7,

ready for the next operation, and so on.

The entire mechanism of the press is actu- `ated and driven by .a constantly moving belt 22, which drives a pulley 22'. the belt being arranged to idle on a similar pulley 22.

The pulley 22Iis 'rigid on a main shaft 23, which is `iournaled in bearings 23'` 23 and 23", and intermediate its ends said shaft supports and drives a pinion 24` which directly drives gea-rs 25 and 26. The gear 25 drives a similar gear 27, which is rigid on a shaft 27', upon which the worm 8 is mounted. The shaft 27' is journaled respectively in a socket-bearingr 5 of the press-cylinder, and in a cap (ih that closes the outer end of the cylinder 6. The lower end of the plunger is slotted, as at 9a (see Fig. 4) for straddling and affording clearance for the shaft 27'. The gear 26 is mounted upon and drives a horizontal shaft 28, the latter being journalled in bearings 28', which depend from the frame 2. The forward end 4of shaft 28 is fitted with a bevel pinion 28a,

supported by brackets 33-33', which are mounted on the cap 5.

The belt conveyor 19 is supported by pulleys 12V-19, which are respectively mounted on shafts 19h-19, the latter being journaled in the opposite ends of a frame 19. The shaft 19b extends rearwardly and supports a pulley 34, which is driven by a belt 34', the latter being driven by a similar pulley 23, which is operated by the main shaft 23.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, is-

1. In a machine for pressing and molding food products, a constantly rotating table having a plurality of mold cavities arranged in pairs spaced equidistantly, a reciprocating plunger having a semicylin drical portion adapted to successively fill the pairs of molds while the latter are pass-- ing beneath the plunger, means for conveying the material to the pressing position` and means forspraying the molds with hot oily vapor before they reach the pressing position.

2. In a machine for pressing and molding food products, a constantly rotating table having a plurality of mold cavities arranged in pairs in a circular row, a reciprocating plunger formed with a semi-cylindrical portion adapted to press the material into each pair of molds while the molds are passing beneath said portions, means for continuously conveying the material to the pressing position, means for spraying the molds with hot oily vapor in advance of the filling operations, and means for ejecting the molded articles while the table is in motion.

3. In a machine for molding cakes from sticky plastic material, a constantly rotating table having a plurality of bottomless molds arranged in a concentric row, a plunger arranged to reciprocate at right angles to the plane of the molds for pressing the material into the molds While the latter are moving across the path of the plunger` means for spraying the molds and the adjacent portions of the table with hot oily vapor in advance of each molding operation for preventing the material from adhering to Said parts, a worm for conveying the material to be molded towards the molding position, a reciprocating ejector for each mold, said ejectors adapted to form the bottoms of the molds during the molding of the cakes, said ejectors travelling with t-he table and adapted to eject the cakes without stoppage of the table, and means carriedby the table adapted .t effectfthe sweeping offthe ejected cakes Ifrom the table.

4. A machine for molding sticky plastic material, including an uprightpress'cylin- ,de-r, a plunger reciprocable .1n :the cylinder, .said plunger being semi-cylindrical, a worm extending into the vacantportion of the cylinder adapted to deliver the material to be molded beneath the-mutilated plunger, a constantly rotating :table disposed xbeneath the presscylinder having a plurality of mold cavitiesarranged in pairs adapted .to be successively moved across the path of the plunger andl to be Yfilled with the material,

' a guard-plate interposed between the press cylinderand the table having a port facing the table,.a steampipe supported by said plate adapted to supply steam mixed with .oil to the said portier Aspraying the mold cavities in advance of the molding v,operations, a circular cam located below fthe table, land a plurality of ejectors travelling with said table adapted to `be reciprocated by said cam for emptying the molds.

f5. A machine `for molding cakes from sticky plastic material, .-including a press cylinder having a normally open bottom, a constantly rotating table disposed below and eccentric to the axis'ot` the cylinder, said .tablebeing formed .with a plurality ofvpairs of mold cavities spaced equidistantly around its center, said molds adapted to pass be- .neaththe cylinder, a plunger Ahaving' a semicylindrical-pressing portion reciprocable in said cylinder in a path thatcoincides with the ypath of saidmold cavities, a Worm conveyor .extending into thevacant portion of .the cylinder adapted to move the material to be molded into the moldingv position during the upstrokes of the plunger, means for spraying the mold cavities and the adjacent portions of thetable with hot oily moist vapor for preventing the material from adwww ibering to and clogging said parts, and vejectors travelling with the table adapted to close the bottoms of the mold cavities during the pressing operations and to eject the cakes from the molds after they ,are moved from the path of the plunger.

6. In a machine formolding cakes from sticky plastic material, an upright cylinder, a constantly rotating table having a plurality of pairs of mold cavities facing upwardly and spaced equidistantly, a plunger reciprocable in said cylinder having a semicylindrical pressing portion adapted to fill the molds while the latter are passing beneath the said pressing port-ion, means A.for conveying the mate-rial across the vacant .portion of said cylinder to the pressing position, means for strippingthe sticky material from the plunger, and means for spraying the molds and the intervening portions of.

the table Withhot oily vapor before the molds reach the filling position.

7. In a` press for molding sticky plastic material, ta constantly rotating table having arpluralit-y of mold cavities arranged in a concentric row, a stationaryv guard-plate partially covering the table having an opening across which the molds successively pass and having a port facing the row of molds, means for issuing hot moist oily vapor through said port for heating and lubricating said molds, means for spraying the port-ion ofthe table not covered by said plate, a press cylinder supported .by said plate, the `bore of said Acylinder registering with the .opening in the plate, a plunger reciprocable in thecylinder Vand said plate adapted to fill the molds While the latter are passin said opening, means for forcin the materlal into the press cylinder, an means for ejecting the molded articles after the filled molds pass from beneath the guardplate.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

l/VILLIAM P. KING. 

